Play-off final between Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday shows the power of football in bringing people together - Jayne Dowle

As well as people, it’s also about place. South Yorkshire is right to be proud of its footballing heritage, brought alive this afternoon on the hallowed Wembley turf.

Whilst we’re all battling with the cost of living crisis, often dealing with personal or health problems too, it’s been heartening to see communities pulling together to get tickets and travel sorted for fans travelling to London.

Individuals have put long-standing rivalries aside, showing how good neighbours really should behave with each other.

One heartening example is this; disabled 21-year-old Sheffield Wednesday fan Kaden Bramley from Bolton-upon-Dearne - in Barnsley - had already bought his Wembley ticket, but had his adapted van stolen from outside his house on Tuesday evening, meaning he wouldn’t be able to attend the match.

However, a local coach firm, Yorkshire Rose, stepped up to offer the young man, who suffers from a condition called spinal muscular atrophy, and five family members complementary travel.

That’s what I mean. And it’s been heartening to see social media used for such a positive purpose, instead of stirring up vitriol and hate.

I’m hearing of red and white and blue and white sharing lifts, even hotel rooms (which could be interesting) and helping each other out in all kinds of ways.

A single mum of three I know who works in a care home couldn’t get time off to take her eight-year-old son, a devoted Ponty End Red. But she asked around on Facebook and now the lad has a seat on a bus with another family, who will look after him for the day. He’ll never forget his trip to Wembley, and his mother will never forget the kindness of strangers.

There might be a row over the 6,000 extra tickets reallocated from Barnsley to the Sheffield club last week, with some people predicting trouble in the stands, but that’s a minor distraction so far. It would be galling for both teams to get so far and have their big day spoilt by idiots.

To anyone tempted to cause trouble I’d say, use this as a televised opportunity to show the rest of the country what we’re made of here in South Yorkshire; true Northern grit, good-humoured banter, and of course, capable of thrilling and skilful football.

I was at Wembley with my family in May 2016, when Barnsley took on London club Millwall to determine promotion from League One to the Championship – and won.

This time it’s even bigger, because it’s a derby; what brings us together in South Yorkshire, the strong bonds formed by football in towns and villages dominated by the cultural ties of heavy industry, also breeds pride.

And nothing is stronger than pride in your own local football club.

Sadly, I won’t be going to Wembley this time around - there are valid reasons - but I will be booking my seat on the sofa at 3pm whilst the streets fall silent.

And there will be tears, even before the match kicks off, because football is in my blood and my grandad, an amateur player, coach, club secretary and referee in the 1920s to the 1950s, would have been there at the front with his flat cap and rattle.

He died in 1986, but at important matches, I always whisper a little message to him.

Of course, I’ll be cheering on my own team, Barnsley, but I’m proud of both sides for getting this far.

Living on the south side of Barnsley, I have a lot of friends and relations who are Sheffield Wednesday fans.

The Owls send their scouts over the border too; at one point in his childhood, my son Jack, now a Sunday League goalkeeper, played for both Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday’s academy sides, which led to some interesting fixtures.

I know from my days taking him to Barnsley matches, when we had season tickets, that football rivalry can be corrosive. But what’s made me extra-happy about this play-off is how supportive (in the widest sense) fans from both sides have been to each other. If we can do it on the road to Wembley, we can do it every day. When the final score is in, let’s build on this foundation and keep that communal sense of pride going, like a great big South Yorkshire stadium wave.